Kerrick / Matterhorn Canyon Loop (Cross Country Routes)

[mshields]

The Sierra's Are Game Over For Me This Year

Therefore I am occupying myself with the next best thing; planning next year's trip

Currently I have my sites set on the Kerrick/Matterhorn Canyon Loop in Northern Yosemite, but am interested in mixing it up a bit with some cross country travel. I have read several posts by HST members and come up with a couple good suggestions (thanks for the posts) If anyone has additional ideas or suggestions I would love to hear them!

- Level 3 Backpacking Experience
- Class 2 Terrain
- Main Interests: Photography/Great Campsites/Fishing

Thanks

[Cross Country]

I once did that trip. I'd suggest doing somthing else. It was a bit boring.

[mshields]

I once did that trip. I'd suggest doing somthing else. It was a bit boring.

That is the reason I am trying to incorporate some cross-country into the itenerary.

[TehipiteTom]

Couple years ago I did a trip in that area that had some really nice cross-country you could incorporate into yours.

First suggestion: go in via Little Slide Canyon instead of Robinson Creek trail. It's spectacular (a worthy destination in its own right) and gets you into the high country fast.

Second suggestion: you could maybe incorporate some or all of the Slide Canyon-Rock Island Lake route (really nice cross-country travel--beautiful country, routefinding not too difficult but not trivial), maybe by heading off-trail from Wilson Canyon via Tallulah and Doe Lakes or via Big Meadow Creek (haven't done that part, but I'm sure there's someone here who has).

[sparky]

I have had my eye on trying to link up these two areas.

HST Map

HST Map

[mshields]

Tom,

Thanks for the link, you put together a very nice write-up. I especially appreciate the details given for the itenerary.

In regards to incorporating some of your suggestions, what are your thoughts on the following:

- In via Robinson Creek Trail/Mule&Burro Passes/Matterhorn Canyon (on trail portion)
- Head off trail @ Wilson Canyon en route to Rock Island Lake via Tallualah/Doe Lakes
- Once @ Rock Island Lake take your cross country route in reverse (Slide Canyon/Ice Pass/ Little Slide Canyon


Sparky,

That area out to the west looks like it has some good potential. I tried googling Tower Peak earlier this evening and was able to find some information on some cross country travel in the vicinity; perhaps you could come up with some ideas doing this. I will let you know if I come upon anything else.


I look forward to hearing back from both of you.

[TehipiteTom]

Tom,

Thanks for the link, you put together a very nice write-up. I especially appreciate the details given for the itenerary.

In regards to incorporating some of your suggestions, what are your thoughts on the following:

- In via Robinson Creek Trail/Mule&Burro Passes/Matterhorn Canyon (on trail portion)
- Head off trail @ Wilson Canyon en route to Rock Island Lake via Tallualah/Doe Lakes
- Once @ Rock Island Lake take your cross country route in reverse (Slide Canyon/Ice Pass/ Little Slide Canyon

Thanks, glad it helps.

I think it makes more sense to pair up Rock Island Lake/Robinson Creek and Little Slide Canyon/Matterhorn Canyon, just based on proximity. RIL to Snow Lake is a fairly easy route, and LSC gets you within shooting distance of Matterhorn Canyon.

The most certain route from Tallulah/Doe to RIL is via Slide Canyon; I don't know if you were contemplating maybe going via Crazy Mule Gulch, but the lower end of CMG looks like some ugly cliffs on the map. And if you do go from Tallulah/Doe to RIL via Slide, you won't want to backtrack.

If you prefer doing the trail stuff before the x-c, my recommendation would be Robinson Creek-->Rock Island Pass-->RIL-->Slide Canyon-->Doe/Tallulah-->Wilson Creek-->trail up Matterhorn Canyon-->Ice Pass & LSC-->out.

[mshields]

I think it makes more sense to pair up Rock Island Lake/Robinson Creek and Little Slide Canyon/Matterhorn Canyon, just based on proximity. .

The most certain route from Tallulah/Doe to RIL is via Slide Canyon; I don't know if you were contemplating maybe going via Crazy Mule Gulch, but the lower end of CMG looks like some ugly cliffs on the map. And if you do go from Tallulah/Doe to RIL via Slide, you won't want to backtrack.

If you prefer doing the trail stuff before the x-c, my recommendation would be Robinson Creek-->Rock Island Pass-->RIL-->Slide Canyon-->Doe/Tallulah-->Wilson Creek-->trail up Matterhorn Canyon-->Ice Pass & LSC-->out.

Tom,

- You have a good point; pairing LSC/Matterhorn does make more sense geographically.

- As far as Tallulah/Doe to RIL; I was thinking of heading for a saddle NNE of the Doe, then hitting Piute Creek at the confluence with Big Meadow Creek. From here I would head up Slide Canyon to the ramp you mentioned in your trip report. I believe GiantBrookie mentioned this route in one of his posts.

A couple more questions:

1) People have mentioned that there is thick manzanita and a bit of bushwhacking @ the lower end of Slide canyon. I realize that you did not travel this section in your trip, but have you heard any input that would confirm this?

2) If I do end up taking the Doe--> RIL route, I will miss the upper portion of Slide canyon. You mentioned in your writeup that it was a cross-country dream in terms of travel. Perhaps it would be worthwhile for me to just continue up Slide Canyon instead of hitting RIL? If you had to pick one or the other which would it be? Not being able to have both is the loss I take by incorporating Matterhorn/Doe/Tallulah/ into my itenerary. As a side note, I have seen members post about a large blowdown of trees (from last November?) near the head of Slide canyon. If this is true, it will definitely influence my decision; have you heard similar reports?

Thanks for your patience.

[TehipiteTom]

A couple more questions:

1) People have mentioned that there is thick manzanita and a bit of bushwhacking @ the lower end of Slide canyon. I realize that you did not travel this section in your trip, but have you heard any input that would confirm this?

I don't know anything about this, unfortunately. I'm betting someone here does, though.

2) If I do end up taking the Doe--> RIL route, I will miss the upper portion of Slide canyon. You mentioned in your writeup that it was a cross-country dream in terms of travel. Perhaps it would be worthwhile for me to just continue up Slide Canyon instead of hitting RIL? If you had to pick one or the other which would it be? Not being able to have both is the loss I take by incorporating Matterhorn/Doe/Tallulah/ into my itenerary. As a side note, I have seen members post about a large blowdown of trees (from last November?) near the head of Slide canyon. If this is true, it will definitely influence my decision; have you heard similar reports?

Thanks for your patience.

If I had to pick between going up Slide Canyon and seeing RIL, I would definitely pick RIL. Slide Canyon is beautiful, but you'll get to see some of that anyway, and RIL is not to be missed. Also, while most of Slide Canyon is good cross-country traveling, the Slide is kind of a pain (several hundred feet of elevation gain & loss). The Slide itself is impressive, but not exactly beautiful, so IMO you're not missing that much if you bypass it altogether.

That said, if you camp in Slide Canyon (somewhere close to the ramp) you could probably do a not-very-long dayhike up Slide Canyon and get the best of both worlds.

I'm not sure about the blowdown; looking back at my trip report, I did note a lot of down trees, so they could be referring to that...or there could be additional blowdown from last winter's storms (in which case it could be pretty ugly getting through that).

[mshields]

Tom,

Rock Island Lake it is; thanks again for your help and input.

I think I have a pretty clear idea of my itenerary now. One last question and I will leave you in peace. If I decided to change my direction; i.e. RIL to Doe instead of Doe to RIL, will the ramp still be fairly easy to identity?